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Bleaching (Teeth Whitening)
What is bleaching?
- Bleaching is one of the most frequently used method in cosmetic dentistry. Similar to your skin and hair color, your tooth color is your characteristic feature. Enamel stains or discoloration can be removed with bleaching for whiter teeth.
How should you whiten your teeth?
- There are two types of bleaching: Office bleaching and home bleaching. Peroxide-based (especially carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide) bleaching gel is used in both types. Office bleaching is a time saving and safe method because the whole procedure is applied by your dentist at the dental office. Home bleaching is also a safe method if it is applied under your dentist’s guidance and counseling. There are several types of bleaching agents in markets or drugstores but these products can be harmful for your oral health unless used in accordance with your dentist’s directions. Your dentist will advise you about the type, concentration and application time according to your discoloration degree and oral type.
What are the types of bleaching?
Two different methods are used for whitening.
- Office bleaching: Bleaching agent is applied in the dental office by your dentist. Depending on the discoloration degree, a session lasts approximately 30-40 minutes. The number of sessions may increase due to the degree of whiteness demanded. Application can be laser assisted depending on the bleaching gel’s requirements.
- Home bleaching: this method your dentist takes an impression of your teeth; an individual tray is manufactured in dental lab accordingly. This personal tray will fit your teeth arch thus will preserve your soft tissues, gums and lips. Your dentist gives this tray and bleaching gel (concentration of the gel should be advised by your dentist) to you. You put whitening gel into bleaching tray and fit the tray on your dental arch. The application time varies between 1 to 8 hours depending on the concentration of the whitening gel. You may apply this professional whitening procedure until you are happy with the result; it usually takes 2-6 days, depending on your initial tooth color and expectations.
- Custom made trays don’t fit on your teeth like individual trays; therefore bleaching agent is not as effective as individual trays; also you may experience irritation on your gums because of faulty contact.
Office or home bleaching?
- Office bleaching is time saving because of the office bleaching agent. If your time is limited, then powerful and fast acting office bleaching is more preferable.
What are the risk factors of teeth whitening?
- Bleaching procedure can cause temporary sensitivity that can last for a few days. If you experience any discomfort, please contact your dentist. Toothpaste for sensitive teeth will be recommended by your dentist.
- In case of contact, whitening gel concentration can be lowered or bleaching can altogether be stopped depending on the irritation degree.
What is the difference between teeth whitening and polishing?
- Bleaching whitens your teeth internally. Polishing removes external stains, calculus, bacterial plaque and debris. Before teeth whitening professional teeth cleaning (scaling and polishing) should be applied, since the bleaching agent cannot act in presence of plaque.
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